(Eagle News)– National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Intelligence Agent 1 Jovencio Ablen Jr. recounted on Tuesday (September 20) the two instances how he and his superior former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos used to deliver P10 million cash to then Justice Secretary now Senator Leila De Lima.
In his testimony, Ablen said that it was on November 24, 2012 when he and Ragos first delivered ‘inmate commissions’ to De Lima’s house in Parañaque.
“Nung bumabiyahe kami sabi niya , ‘Nior (Ablen’s nickname) confidential ito, tayo lang ang nakakaalam. Sabi niya, ‘Nior may dadalin tayo kay lola. Kung kami-kami lang po ang nag uusap, si Secretary ina-address namin na lola,” Ablen told the House panel during its own drug related inquiry.
Asked who was the secretary he was referring to, Ablen answered: “Si Secretary De Lima po.”
Ablen said P5 million was handed out to De Lima during the first delivery.
Ablen recounted that Ragos went straight to De Lima’s bodyguard-driver Ronnie Dayan at the gate of the house while De Lima was waiting at the front door.
“Inabot ni Deputy Ragos yung black handbag kay Ronnie Dayan. Pagpasok nila doon ko na nakita si Secretary De Lima…Naka-duster siya na pambahay,” Ablen detailed.
Ablen said Ragos stayed inside the house for about 30 minutes.
On their way back to BuCor headquarters at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), Ragos instructed him to never tell anyone what he saw.
“Habang bumabiyahe kami pinagbilinan niya (Ragos) ako. Ang sabi niya ‘Nior wag kang maingay, walang makakaalam nito, wala kang alam, wala kang nakita. Sumagot ako sa kanya ‘Sabi mo e, e di wala’ At hindi na ako nagtanong tumahimik na lang ako,” Ablen noted.
According to the NBI agent, another cash delivery involving another P5 million happened on December 15, 2012.
Ablen said Ragos handed to Dayan the cash packed inside a white plastic bag before the two went inside De Lima’s house.
When Ablen asked Ragos if their delivery again involved cash, the latter got irritated.
“Noong pabiyahe na po kami, ako na ang nagtanong, napansin ko kasi sa paa ko [plastic bag] Parang na-irritate siya, nong tinanong ko siya ‘quota na naman yan sir?’ Nairritate siya, mataas ang boses sabi niya ‘Ano pa nga ba?!******** sila lang meron’. Hindi na kami nagkibuan kasi medyo tumaas ang boses niya,” Ablen recounted.
Both De Lima and Dayan were tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte in the narcotics trade inside NBP.
Duterte added that Dayan, who was De Lima’s alleged lover, used to collect the money from the illegal drug transactions in the national penitentiary.
De Lima denied all allegations against her.
She also refused to attend or send any representative at the House inquiry.